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In The Guardian there is a discussion on the participation of transgender people in the Olympic Games, primarily looking at Caster Semenya. Semenya, a South African middle-distance runner, was subjected to gender testing in 2009, but has been cleared to participate in the Olympic Games beginning in a few days time.
"It's a ticking timebomb," Daniel Mothowagae says quietly on a winter's night in Johannesburg as he anticipates the furore that is likely to explode when Caster Semenya runs in the Olympic Games. Apart from being described by many athletics specialists as an almost certain winner of the women's 800m in Rio, Semenya will suffer again as she is made to personify the complex issues surrounding sex verification in sport."
"The debate around hyperandrogenism is as poignant as it is thorny. In simplistic summary it asks us to decide whose rights need to be protected most. Is it the small minority of women whose exceedingly high testosterone levels, which their bodies produce naturally, categorise them as intersex athletes? Should their human rights be ring-fenced so that, as is the case now following an overturned legal ruling, they are free to compete as women without being forced to take medication that suppresses their testosterone? Or should the overwhelming majority of female athletes be protected – so they are not disadvantaged unfairly against faster and stronger intersex competitors?"
""She is proof of the benefit of testosterone to intersex athletes," Tucker argues. "Having had the restriction removed she is now about six seconds faster than she had been the last two years.""
"The Cas panel defined the crucial factor as being whether intersex athletes would have sufficient advantages to outweigh any female characteristics and make them comparable to male-performance levels. "
"Three months ago Tucker conducted a fascinating interview with Joanna Harper – who describes herself as "a scientist first, an athlete second and a transgender person third." Harper made the startling claim that we might see "an all-intersex podium in the 800 in Rio and I wouldn't be surprised to see as many as five intersex women in the eight-person final.""
(Score: 3, Interesting) by frojack on Tuesday August 02 2016, @04:18AM
No, they should be able to compete. Against members of their own "intersex" gender.
A league of their own, so to speak.
I submitted a story about this issue a couple months ago, and got nothing but flame for it. And here the issue is back on the big stage, with actual scientists weighing in.
Its going to get harder and harder to sweep under the rug to assuage the feelings of the 2% at the expense of all women's sports. The only rational thing is a third gender for competition purposes.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Tuesday August 02 2016, @10:21AM
Okay, you do realize you're essentially arguing in favor of creating an old fashioned freak show though, yes?
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 02 2016, @01:46PM
Yes but compared to what it seems is going to happen (turning women's events into a old fashion freak show) it is probably better.
(Score: 2) by frojack on Tuesday August 02 2016, @09:48PM
The alternative is to disenfranchise all women athletes and turn their sports participation over to transgenders.
Those who choose to join the freak show should not be denied.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.